Cleveland Christmas Magic in the '50s and 60s

When I was a kid, going to downtown Cleveland at the holidays was totally magical! It was an event we excitedly anticipated. All the stores were done up in decorations. The store windows were works on wonder. The closest you might get to imagining it is the opening scene of "A Christmas Story." You'd go see Santa at Higbee's and shop for family afterwards at The Twigbee Shoppe. Maybe dinner before at The Silver Grille was they had the yummiest Welsh Rarebit and you got a cute cardboard stove to take home. (My sister remembers when your meal came in a real stove.) Then, on to "Halle's Seventh Floor where you'll be looking for" Mr. Jingle-a-ling! But the crowning glory was to walk in the atrium of Sterling Linder and see their magnificent tree! Once the tallest indoor Christmas tree, it's last showing was 1968 so I do have memories of it beforehand, being 13 when the store closed. I feel bad for kids (both old and young) to have missed out on the golden age of department stores and their wonderful windows!

When Kennedy Was Assassinated....

I was in 4th grade, Lincoln Elementary School in Lakewood, Ohio. Miss Jones' class. (She who was constantly adjusting her bra and girdle. Now I find myself doing the same.)

Our principle, Mr Will come on the PA and said that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas and he had died. They didn't sugar coat stuff when I was a kid. Most of our dads had been in WW2 and they just didn't soft-sell stuff. When I was a kid, children died more frequently then they do now.

I remember this one girl, Melody, burst into tears. I was kind of stunned. There was a dullness in my head. No one in my family had died yet, not a grandparent or a pet. I had to process it. I remember thinking, "Why is she sobbing like that?" (She was kind of a drama queen anyway.)

I remember my parents did not vote for Kennedy. My dad was not a fan. It was the only time they voted for the same president!

I remember they let us out of school and we all were thinking "Cool! A few days off." But there was nothing on TV except the news, the funeral, the commentaries. I remember seeing John-John salute as the caisson went by.

My biggest memory was seeing Black Jack the horse with the boots reversed in the stirrups. To this day, I remember the horse's name. For some odd reason, I thought that was so cool. I remember thinking "When I die, I want a horse at my burial with the boot reversed in the stirrups." But that's a military honor so that won't happen. Funny what you remember....

The Adventures Of Buddy The Cat

A

ccording to the Spousal Unit.  (I missed this) as I was out of town at Midwest Uke Camp)  Here’s how he tells it.

“So I came home from work, it was last Friday, the 21^st (of June, 2019), and it was a cool evening so I decided to open up the windows.  I got to the second floor and opened up our bedroom window and one in the cat room to get some air flow. I fed the critters. Then settled in to watch TV and eat dinner. 

“Later that night, I took up some wet food for Buddy but I didn’t see him.  I figured he was hiding as he sometimes does. I didn’t give it much thought.  Talked to Mia on the phone.

“I decided to go to bed around 1:30 am.  Still no Buddy.  I looked for him upstairs in the attic, under the bed, in the bathroom, his crate.  That’s when I saw the screen was NOT down on that cat room window. I panicked.  It’s two floors up.   That’s when I put 2 and 2 together and realized that the dogs had been barking at Buddy in driveway earlier. 

“I went outside and started calling for Buddy. When I opened up the front door, another cat, (not Buddy) ran off the front porch, hissing.  I walked up the driveway calling for Buddy.  I came back onto the porch, turned on the light, walked through the flower beds, calling the entire time. I was standing by the mailbox (near the front porch) calling, when I heard a soft ‘Meow!’ I called again, heard the soft ‘Meow.’ I was trying to figure out where it was coming from.  I called a  few more times and that’s when I saw Buddy’s face in the corner of the porch railings.  I went up on the porch, picked him up, brought him in the house.  He ran upstairs straight to his food. I put the screen down on the window and went to bed.  I felt relieved!” 

The Story Of The New Cat (aka Buddy)

May 23rd, 2019

(Rescue name: Semi. That won't stick.)

If I had not been a part of this whole scenario, I would find it hard to believe.

I had been looking at cats. I was missing Rufus and the other kitties (Ellie and Envy). I mean, Josie has a home here but she not affectionate or cuddly. She's just....bless her heart...weird.

I saw this cat online through a rescue (Paws And Prayers). His name was Chuck and he was a big (huge) orange and white 4 year old cat who was describe as a, "Dog in a cat suit." Perfect. I went last week to look at him. Twice. Super laid back cat. I mean, SUPER laid back. I liked him a lot. He was at a place called Destination Cats in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. It’s an open roam place for cats. I think I counted about 20 or so. It’s a wonderful place to really see adoptable cats in a more normal environment.

After my foot doctor appointment today, my friend, Al, dropped me off at Destination Cats to see Chuck again. Of course he was hanging out with a bunch of other cats up for adoption. The lady who owns DC (Elizabeth) said, "Do you think you're going to get him? There is someone else who wants him and filled out an application for him. We've been trying to reach you via email."

Oh, crap, no pressure. (I was out of town, visiting the grandkids in NJ).

As I was visiting Chuck, this other orange cat, came up and sat on the chair next to where I was standing, purring, being super friendly and doing the adorable cat thing. "How did I miss you? You're another nice kitty!" He was a little younger than I wanted (1 year and some change). They called him Semi.

After a lot of hemming and hawing, mostly because our cat room was not ready to receive a new denizen, I finally said, "Screw it. Let's do it!" I paid the money, got his papers and as I was waiting for my friend Mary L. to pick us up this older couple came in wanting to see Chuck.

"Welllll," says Elizabeth, "He just got adopted." The lady starts crying. I kid you not. Bawling.

"Oh, no, no, no! I wanted him so much." (Wait, there's more) “Who adopted him?”

She looks at me and I said that yes, I had adopted him but I told them about Semi and what a sweet kitty he seemed to be. Mind you, one of her cats died TWO DAYS AGO. I don't think I'd be looking that quick myself. Plus she had NEVER even met Chuck. She wanted him based off a picture and a description. Weird. Plus she liked him and wanted him because “He looks like a cat I used to have.” None of these are good reasons or times to adopt, in my opinion.

My heart is sinking. Really. The harder, firmer part of me is thinking, "Well, too bad. He’s mine." The kinder part of me is saying, "Wellll....." The problem is I HAVE a kinder part of me. Meanwhile the husband is pulling money out of his wallet. "How much you want for him? I'll pay you for him." Seriously? I kid you not. I felt like I was in a drug deal behind the storefront. Who does that?

Now the poor DC lady is in a dilemma because we both had been approved to adopt Chuck. So, and don't ask me why I said this, "Look, you need to meet Semi and there are some other GREAT cats in that. But if you really want him AND you click, you take him. I'll take the other orange cat." I'm sitting outside the cat room, knowing in my heart that Chuck will do his laid back "Yeah, whatever" thing, which is rather charming.

At this point, I’m starting to feel that it's in the laps of the Gods. What else can you do? You have to give up to the Universe/God/Higher Power right? If it's meant to be, it'll work out.

Of course she wanted him. In her mind and mouth it was Chuck and no other cat will do. That’s pretty rigid, to my way of thinking. I also found out from her husband that she has never taken a vacation away from home and her animals in 18 years! Eighteen! I’m sorry but that’s just weird and say there’s more going on mentally with this lady. I love my animals very much but not taking a vacation in 18 years is ridiculous! It’s not like they’re farm animals. I’ve certainly heard of cases like that for farmers. I don’t know; I thought it was weird.

But I digress. The bottom line is she got Chuck and I got Semi. A gal from Paws and Prayers had to come to figure out the paperwork and it was confusing.

If my friend Mary would have come just TEN minutes earlier, we would have been out the door with Chuck. Now Semi is in the cat room, closed off and Josie doesn't know what to do with herself. And because he's blowing coat like a crazy man, I'm taking antihistamines. It'll pass! Always does.

By the way, I got him the day before my birthday, May 23rd. Is that weird or what?? 

UPDATE 6/11/19: It’s been a few weeks since we got Semi, now named Buddy Beshert Banderas Hess. He strolled into our house with tail up and confidence bursting out of his orange coat. He has a loud purr-motor and loves to play. I think we got the cat we were meant to get!

In Your Hawaiian Way, Ukulele and Vocals

The Lazy Person's Way to Exercise Your Cattledog

Mooglow Tutorial by Mia Hess